One Of Scotty McCreery’s Earliest Songs Tells A Touching Tale About A Family Bible
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After 15 years in the music industry, Scotty McCreery has accumulated quite a catalog of songs. Naturally, his radio singles are the ones that tend to get the most attention, such as his chart-topping hits “Five More Minutes” and “Damn Strait.”
Because of this, McCreery has some hidden gems that many fans may not know about. One of those songs is titled “That Old King James.”
“That Old King James” was featured on McCreery’s debut album, Clear As Day. Written by Phillip White and Mark Nesler, it serves as the album’s 12th and final track.
The song tells the tale of a beloved family Bible passed down from one generation to the next. The narrator’s grandfather received the Bible when he was eight years old, and he treasured it. That Bible came with him when he fought overseas in World War II, and he read it every night.
Before he died, grandpa passed the Bible down to his daughter, the narrator’s mother. Whenever times got tough, she’d flip through the pages of “That Old King James,” highlighting certain passages or staining the pages with her tears.
At the end of the song, the narrator reveals that he has the family Bible now. He concludes with the line, “Now the cover’s torn, and the leather’s worn…on that Old King James.“
McCreery, a devoted Christian himself, brought the touching song to life with his voice. You can listen to the recording below.
Scotty McCreery Has Continued To Sing About His Faith
In 2012, the year after making his debut with Clear As Day, Scotty McCreery released his first Christmas record. The album contained his takes on faith-based holiday songs such as “Mary, Did You Know?” and “O Holy Night.”
In 2021, McCreery shared a brief, acoustic rendition of the hymn “The Old Rugged Cross.” His video reached thousands of fans from all corners of the globe.
Then, in 2024, McCreery included another spiritual song on one of his albums. Titled “Red Letter Blueprint,” the track was featured on his sixth studio album, Rise & Fall.
“My faith is everything to me. It’s held me up during my lows, and it’s been with me when I celebrate my highs,” McCreery shared at the time. “This new album was influenced by the rises and falls in my life through the years, so I wanted to sing about what sustains me.”
Most recently, McCreery included a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me Lord” on his retrospective album, 15. The album has McCreery reflecting on his 15-year career, which started when he won Season 10 of American Idol in 2011.
In “Why Me Lord,” the narrator finds himself asking God why he (the narrator) is worthy of any of the “pleasures” he’s known, or the “kindness” God has shown him throughout his life.
As he thought back on his career so far, those lyrics struck a chord with McCreery. A press release about 15 says the song “sums up how he feels about the last 15 years.”
You can enjoy Scotty McCreery’s version of “Why Me Lord” in the clip below.
